Extract from Apapo Oodua Koya, AOKOYA speech delivered to select Yoruba leaders in Ivory Coast on Sunday, November 20, 2022 by Col Abimbola Sowumi (rtd)
‘I really cannot end our conversation without speaking about the question asked by the old gentleman from Iseyin who is 76 years but has just told us that he was born here in Ivory Coast and that his parents were also born in Ivory Coast.
‘It tells us that the Yoruba people have been in Ivory Coast for more than 200 years. I was informed that one of the Yoruba leaders, Alhaji Bello was the main funder of the struggle for independence against France in the 1940s. It tells you that we have a long history and Ivory Coast is one of the most strategic countries to Yoruba Nation given the information shared here that we have about 4million Yoruba people in this country.
Baba has asked the question, how do we want to achieve Yoruba Nation? He also said he wishes to see O’odua Nation in his life time.
Well I cannot speak for all the Yoruba self-determination groups. I can only share with you the perspective of Apapo Oodua Koya, (AOKOYA) a few of our ideas:
• We cannot have Yoruba Nation by spontaneous actions. It has to be systematic. It involves great and deep thinking and planning. We must never be defeated. For us who started this campaign as far back as 1995, our mission and strategy is clear.
• The most important thing in this battle and in any war is not the military, it is not our population, it is not the huge funds. The most important things are two: 1) A high level of discipline, honesty and clarity of the leadership of the movement and its fighting force.2) Intelligence about the enemy and about ourselves on strength and weaknesses. 3) Human and Material resources, is the least most important. Wining O’Odua Nation needs international Diplomacy, Underground movement/Intelligence, Security and a discipline fighting force.
• Unfortunately, most groups pick number 3 which is FUNDS as the most important. If you have all the funds, without honesty, clarity and discipline, without intelligence of the enemy and of yourself, you will fail woefully. If you have No 1 and 2, number three which is funds will certainly come.
• I have been asked to answer the question on ‘Declaration’ slogan. We commend every effort that will push the Yoruba forward. We commend those behind the Declaration Slogan. It is not a step backwards. We wish them success.
• On our part, We must say that in Apapo Oodua Koya holds the view that battles are won not by the military, but by clarity of ideas of the political leaders. In wining any battle, the military is No 3 in line of importance. The most important things are the Economy, the culture and the Politics of War. Decisions of war by US and Russia are first taken by political leaders before the military are brought in for field work. We must understand the territories we want to defend, from Lagos to Jebba, Mokwa and to Warri, the Olukunmi land in Delta and Akokoland in Edo State up to Ogba in Rivers State. It will be tactless not to first understand the International and local dimension of battle and the economy and politics of battle. We in Apapo Oodua Koya, AOKOYA is also very conscious never to fight a defensive battle. We have to be offensive. In all, what is the number one source of our strength? He is God, the creator of heaven and earth, to whom we plead earnestly for wisdom in the inevitable battles ahead.’
• You must first of all win the politics, the culture and the economy of war for you to succeed. We are not against the strategies of others, I have only stated our own strategy which others are free to disagree with.’
